Eucalyptus longissima facts for kids

The Eucalyptus longissima is a special kind of eucalyptus tree or shrub. It only grows in the south-west part of Western Australia. This plant has rough, stringy bark on its main trunk. Higher up, its bark is smooth and greyish-brown. Its leaves are shiny green and shaped like a spear. It grows white flowers in groups of seven to thirteen. Later, it produces round, woody fruits.

What Does Eucalyptus longissima Look Like?

This eucalyptus is usually a mallee, which means it's a shrubby tree with many stems from the ground. It can grow up to 8 m (26 ft) (about 26 feet) tall. It also has a special woody swelling underground called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after fires.

Bark and Leaves

The lower part of the trunk has rough, stringy bark. The bark higher up is smooth and greyish-brown. The adult leaves are shaped like a spear, which is called "lance-shaped." They are about 55 mm (2.2 in) to 110 mm (4.3 in) long (2 to 4 inches). They are also 7 mm (0.28 in) to 16 mm (0.63 in) wide (about 0.3 to 0.6 inches). Each leaf has a stalk, or petiole, that is 10 mm (0.39 in) to 20 mm (0.79 in) long.

Flowers and Fruit

The flower buds grow in groups of seven to fifteen. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. These groups of buds are on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 7 mm (0.28 in) to 17 mm (0.67 in) long. Each individual bud has its own small stalk, or pedicel, about 3 mm (0.12 in) to 7 mm (0.28 in) long.

When the buds are ready, they are narrow and oval-shaped. They are 7 mm (0.28 in) to 12 mm (0.47 in) long and 2 mm (0.079 in) to 6 mm (0.24 in) wide. Each bud has a cap called an operculum. This cap is shaped like a cone or a horn and is 4 mm (0.16 in) to 9 mm (0.35 in) long. The Eucalyptus longissima flowers are white. You can see them blooming during most months of the year. After flowering, the plant produces woody, round fruits. These fruits are called capsules and are about 4 mm (0.16 in) to 6 mm (0.24 in) long and wide.

How It Got Its Name

The Eucalyptus longissima was officially named in 2005. This was done by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. The name was published in a science journal called Australian Systematic Botany.

Meaning of longissima

The second part of its scientific name, longissima, comes from a Latin word. It means "longest." This name was chosen because the young leaves, flower stalks (peduncles), and small bud stalks (pedicels) of this plant are quite long.

Where Eucalyptus longissima Lives

This eucalyptus tree grows in Western Australia. It likes sandy or loamy soil that is found over limestone. You can find it in several special natural areas. These include the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Murchison, and Yalgoo regions.

Conservation Status

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the status of this eucalyptus. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not in danger of disappearing.